>> Like at Lanvin, glamorous daywear was the hot topic du jour for Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli at Valentino. Described as "techno couture," the designers created ruffled and embellished dresses — made with stretch wool for daytime comfort — along with spunkier leather and lace numbers for Pre-Fall 2011. "Our goal is to deliver wearable pieces which women can truly enjoy and can mix and match accordingly to their attitude,” said Chiuri. Piccioli added: “We want to transmit the feeling of an effortless elegance.”